University of Texas Is a Model in Combating Sexual Violence

Experts say the college's prompt and thorough approach makes it a national leader in treating and preventing sexual assault cases.

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Jul 28, 2014

When University of Texas police responded to a call from a student who said she had been sexually assaulted, they found her crying under a desk in a hallway.

A prompt, thorough, and independent investigation followed, leading this week to the arrests of two football players on sexual assault charges.

That the accuser had enough confidence to call police — a choice many sexual assault victims don't make, perhaps fearing loss of anonymity — is one factor that has led experts to regard UT's system of preventing and responding to sexual violence as a national model.

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"It appears that the campus safety officials at UT were right on top of the situation and began a prompt investigation, which is what should be happening: a fast and fair investigation," said Ada Meloy, general counsel for the American Council on Education.

At UT, students who have been sexually assaulted have a variety of paths to take, from counseling to internal inquiries to criminal investigations by the university police department.

UT has long had a counseling and outreach program, Voices Against Violence; universities across the country have used aspects of it as a model for their own programs. Schools also have sought UT's advice on how to handle sexual assault accusations. And education on the Austin campus about how to report sexual assault and what victims' options are has led to dramatic growth in the number of students who report assaults, officials say.

"UT can take pride in the fact that we didn't wait around until these kind of moments have occurred to start doing something," said Jane Bost, associate director of prevention and outreach services, which oversees the program. "We have a model that a lot of campuses have asked us to consult about."

Felony Charges

In this week's case, wide receivers Kendall Sanders and Montrel Meander face second-degree felony sexual assault charges. Their accuser, who knew Meander, told police she had agreed to have sex with him in his dorm room, but they were interrupted when Sanders knocked on the door.

She told police Meander left the room and Sanders took off his clothes and forced himself upon her. When Meander re-entered the room, he and Sanders continued the alleged assault together, the arrest affidavit said.

The two players' attorneys say they are innocent.

College campuses are rife with sexual violence — research shows that 1 in 5 women survive an attempted or completed rape in college — and many universities have come under fire for weak responses.

A list of complaints filed against schools across the country, accused of not following federal laws in dealing with sexual assault allegations, has grown from 55 institutions to 71 since May.

While sexual assaults regularly go unreported — a problem that has long kept universities from effectively curbing violence — UT has seen sharp growth in the number of students reporting sexual violence, said LaToya Hill, an associate dean of students at UT-Austin. Hill oversees Student Judicial Services, the department that investigates all complaints against students, including sexual assaults.

Education and outreach efforts are one factor in increased reporting, officials say. Growing national attention to sexual assaults on college campuses also has prompted more students to come forward, they say.

Increased Attention

Earlier this month, The New York Times reported on the secretive internal investigation process at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, a small private school in New York. A panel of the college's administrators and staff took 12 days to investigate, hold a hearing and clear two football players accused, the newspaper reported.

An investigation by ESPN in March revealed that the University of Missouri did not investigate or tell law enforcement about an alleged rape in 2010, possibly by one or more football players, even though administrators found out about the alleged incident more than a year ago. The accuser committed suicide in 2011.

The federal government has focused more attention on the problem recently.

In January, President Barack Obama convened a task force to protect students from assault. In April, the White House issued a report listing best practices and provided a website for victims to find resources.

The task force highlighted UT's Voices Against Violence program — a group that has provided counseling and outreach services to students for 13 years — as a promising practice.

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The program is one part of a UT network aimed at ending sexual violence on campus. The university tries to curb violence in every step of the process, from prevention to investigation. This comprehensive approach is vital, said Anne Hedgepeth, government relations manager for the American Association of University Women, which has long worked to provide resources and guidance to universities on campus violence.

"Schools need to look at this holistically, at all of the things that range from prevention to response to adjudication, because the stories we're hearing and the complaints that have been filed identify problems along each point," Hedgepeth said.

UT's efforts begin with Voices Against Violence, initially funded with federal grants and now a permanent program funded by UT. The group provides counseling, conducts advertising campaigns, and works at freshman orientation to teach incoming students about sexual violence. Students discuss what constitutes consent and what the options are if they are assaulted. They are encouraged to speak up if they see disturbing behavior.

Separate Inquiries

If a student files a complaint, the university investigates, contacting all involved parties and any witnesses. While administrators don't have the power to compel the accused to talk, they can drop the students' classes, effectively suspending them. If the university finds the assault was likely to have happened, it issues a punishment, which can include expulsion. Either party can appeal, and the president's office has the final say.

If a student chooses to report the assault to the campus police, which many do not, a criminal investigation is launched, completely separate from the university inquiry. In this week's case, administrators didn't even know about the criminal charges until Thursday, UT police chief David Carter said, allowing the department to investigate the allegations without interference.

"I think that we have a good system," Carter said. "We stayed in our lane and we kept others out of our lane."